On Fish

B-mama brought up a great question about fish and mercury levels during pregnancy. Many pregnant women are nervous about fish and so they don’t eat it during pregnancy, and many don’t eat it at all, which is a huge shame because fish has so many beneficial omega fatty acidsthat are not found in other foods–fatty acids that are very beneficial for a developing baby–maybe better than mad-cow beef. Most health care providers give women a list of fish known to be high in mercury (large fish that live in the ocean for a long time). For mercury levels of various fish see this chart. Personally, I would avoid fish on the top of this list or have them no more than once per month during pregnancy and with small children. All other fish, especially those low in mercury, can be consumed regularly. Tilapia is a favorite in our house because it is relatively inexpensive and fairly tasty. I’d recommend buying fresh fish, not frozen, because I find that frozen fish can be mushy and taste, well…gross. We try to eat fish on Fridays. DH doesn’t like fish very much, so eating fish for dinner on Fridays is a real sacrifice for him, but the kids love it. I think serving it regularly really helps them think it is “normal” to eat fish, and the texture seems easier for them to like and chew than meat. **This picture is not meant to promote dolphin consumption